Jon Ralston had an astonishing chat yesterday on his TV show, "Face To Face," with Harrah's VP Jan Jones that included some incendiary remarks. The episode isn't available online yet but will be at this link for a few days once it is. Jones, of course, is Mayor Oscar Goodman's predecessor.Here's some of what she said, courtesy of Jon's daily email blast, the Ralston Flash. See Jon's site here.
On Goodman's remarks to Bob Herbert of the New York Times (read his column here):
"It was inexcusable. Mayor Goodman is elected to represent the people. It's fine to be flippant. It's fine to walk out with showgirls. But, you have an obligation to maintain a sense of dignity and stature about the city you represent. Going off to the New York Times about why we should open up a brothel district downtown is disrespectful."
On whether it's safer for prostitutes to be in legal brothels:
"Trafficking of women is better for women? Having a mayor of a city stand up and say that is somehow acceptable? Making that a way we characterize the City of Las Vegas where many of us are proud to live here, proud of our neighborhoods, proud of our schools, wanting our children to be proud of where we grow up?
I travel not only the country, but the world. I still find myself more often than not having to explain about the real Las Vegas.
The stereotypes all still exist. The first thing they say is crime, corruption, trafficking in women. It's difficult when you know a completely different city.
They (tourists) don't find themselves here for the seedy down and out reasons that are often characterized. They come to have a good time, and they do have a good time. They come to vacation, recreate, gamble, spa and a number of different reasons. But, all of a sudden making this a city about prostitution, what right comes with that? Crime, drugs ... stop it."
On why Goodman doesn't face more scrutiny for his comments:
Somehow people think it's funny, and maybe that's a sad commentary. When our top elected officials are seen as comedians and caricatures, instead of statesmen, is that the direction we want to go?
On whether there's a sense that Goodman's not taken seriously by business leaders:
I think there is quite a bit of that. Nobody wants to offend Oscar, because he's the mayor and he's obviously not shy about the comments he'll make. But, I don't think that's about leading.
Somebody asked me what Oscar should be looking for in his last four years. Oscar, everybody's going to have a legacy. What's your legacy going to be? Bobblehead dolls? Or are you really going to look to make some definitive changes that leave your imprint on the community you served for 12 years? 12 years of service, there's something to be said for that.
On whether he deserves credit for the moves he's made downtown:
"I think that's all fine. I really do. Most of that land, respectfully this is a long process, was set aside before Oscar.
Don Snyder and I have been working on the performing arts center for almost 15 years. That's the time it takes. I hope the furniture mart is an extraordinary success. Downtown needs that. I hope they find a way to link Fremont Street into that corridor. I think all of that is very good. So, focus on that. Don't focus on demeaning the good things you've done by saying foolish things like creating a brothel district."
Yowza! Them's fightin' words!
3 comments:
man, is harrah's ok with her going off like that? she represents them. how do they do any business with the city when she's beating on the mayor as she does?
She seems to have a bit of a problem with the flippant remarks. Didn't Steve do an interview with her where she was a little off the cuff? Also, the Celine Dion remarks were odd.
They should build a little monorail from downtown to the furniture place like the one they have at Monte Carlo.
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